


The troubles of a King

by Lightningstrike5757



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Black Arms (Sonic the Hedgehog) - Freeform, Gen, I may or may not have forgotten to add caliburn to the character list, I'll add more tags later, King Shadow, King Sonic, M/M, Multi, Riots caused by a lack of violence, Sonic and the Black Knight, Trying to avoid the past is hard, alter ego
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:35:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22081171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightningstrike5757/pseuds/Lightningstrike5757
Summary: Lance has a hard enough life as is. He needs to teach his new king how to rule, defend King Sonic and make sure the kingdom is in order when Sonic is busy. When an encounter with the ruler of another kingdom gets Sonic on Lance's tail, however, he will need to make some tough decisions to ensure the future of both kingdoms is secure, As well as his own identity.
Relationships: Galahad/Percival (Sonic and the Black Knight), Miles "Tails" Prower & Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog/Lancelot (Sonic and the Black Knight), Sonic the hedgehog & Percival & Galahad (Sonic and the black knight)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	1. Prologue: The storm on the horizon

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, Sonic remains in Camelot and is now their king. Lancelot is forced to deal with a troublesome kingdom as well as Camelot. Lancelot/Sonic is going to happen in this story but isn't the main focus and will happen near the end. Also, assume everyone is speaking like they do in the game and expect sonic at some point in the story to gain an accent. And there wasn't enough Sonic and the Black knight stories for my liking on here!

As the sun dipped below the horizon, a lone, bat-like creature soared through the moonless, dark sky. Forests passed underneath as it flew with a purpose towards its goal. gliding through mountains and diving into valleys it moved swiftly to the distant lights of a city. Silence turned into a loud rumble as the creature glided over the bustling marketplace and the castle walls. Underneath the archers and knights on guard were oblivious to the creature above, all but one. The knight looked up at the sound of a soft snappish chirp, spotting the creature as it flew down into the royal gardens. Instead of warning his fellow knights of the arrival of the creature he silently slipped away to follow the creature.

Arriving in the garden the knight turned to the black and red creature, who was currently resting on a tree branch. The creature let out another chirp and bowed its head. The creature was reminiscent of a snake, with its serpentine body and midnight black scales, that's where the similarities between any normal creature end, however. Its wings were tipped with red and flecked with gold, the wings themselves scaled and thin. Two red fins tipped its back and its head was small and red as well. Two pairs of yellow, pupilless eyes looked at the knight as he removed his helmet. "What business must you have if you wish to come to me now instead of in a week when your regular report is due?" The knight questioned the creature, impatience evident in his tone. The creature let out a series of chirps and clicks as a form of communication. Once it had completed the message it flinched back as if expecting the knights' reaction.

"What do you mean riots are starting! They have everything they need to survive for generations. Food, water, shelter in constant supply from our allies! Why would they possibly decide to riot against their leader who made such a thing possible?" He snarled at the creature as it nervously chirped its response. Instead of lashing out as the creature expected however the knight turned around and began to walk away. "My decision is final. I will remain in this kingdom and serve to protect its current ruler. In return, I will ensure our alliance remains stable and without any war." He froze and looked back at the creature who had backed into the shadows in fear of its life. "Head back to the kingdom immediately, Nightshade. Tell Eclipse to make sure they are dealt with accordingly. Once that is finished return here. I have another task for you to complete."

The creature spared no time and quickly took off into the night sky to deliver the message to her prince. The knight donned his helmet once more and returned to the castle. Instead of heading back to the wall however he strode through the castle until he reached the king's quarters. A quick peek inside showed the newly crowned King of Camelot preparing for bed, unaware of the growing storm in a nearby kingdom. Knowing he was safe for the time being the knight almost closed the door when the king turned to him.

"Lance? Is something wrong?" The king asked the knight. The knight turned back around and bowed his head "Nothing is wrong my liege."

The King shook his head and said "Please, enough with the formalities. I've already had enough of them from Gawain to last me a lifetime. Just call me Sonic." Sonic looked at his lead knight with a hopeful smile. Lancelot sighed. "We shall see, Sonic." Calling the king of Camelot with their first name was foreign to him. The previous king never pressed him to call him by his first name but Sonic always persisted. 

"Well, I'm beat so if you have nothing else to say then I guess I'll see you tomorrow!" Sonic smiled and Lancelot turned to leave. Not before he whispered underneath his breath "If I told you my truth, would you see me the same?"

"Lance, did you say something?" Sonic asked the retreating knight. 

"Nothing important, but next time, don't call me Lance. Lancelot is fine." He answered and closed the door before Sonic could say anything more. As Lancelot headed back to his post he looked up the stars through a window. "We hail from the stars yet remain in this land. How can something so beautiful create so much pain as my kind has caused?" He asked the glowing orbs in the night sky yet he never received his answer. He took out a bottle of glowing red liquid from his suit and quickly downed a third of its contents.

"I'll need to ask the lady of the lake for more soon. I've only got a good week left." He murmured to himself before returning the bottle to it's hiding place and continuing back to the castle battlements and hummed a tune to himself

_Are you, Are you. Comin' to the tree? ___


	2. What am I dealing with?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lancelot tries to teach Sonic the importance of their alliances in preparation for the meeting in the afternoon with the other foreign kings. Keyword: Tries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to include this chapter since it holds key information to understand the rest of the plot and also sets the background information. I will try to make updated happen every Thursday.

"Ugh, why do I need to learn this again?" Sonic groaned as Lancelot attempted to tell his king the reason for learning about the three kingdoms they were at peace with for the fifth time. Lancelot wasn't currently wearing his helmet which was resting on the table, Sonic was currently wearing his crown and cape but that was it. The black and red hedgehog pinched his brow in annoyance. The knight usually could handle exhausting situations that required a lot of patience but Sonic was wearing his patience thin.

"Because in just a mere five hours you will be entering a meeting with the rulers of each kingdom. You must learn about their culture to successfully interact with each other and avoid causing distrust and war. We are still rebuilding from the Black knight incident and a war with any kingdom is the last thing we need right now." Lancelot had been saying the same thing for upwards of an hour and sonic was still yet to grasp the importance of this meeting. 

"Won't they just listen to what I have to say and either help or not?" The young king titled his head to the side as if he was genuinely confused by what his knight was saying. Lancelot shook his head.

"Not in the slightest. These rulers don't just help people. This isn't like wherever you came from. These kingdoms are only allied to us to increase their strength. If you insult their rulers or fail to present a good case as to still be of use, they will declare war and decimate our kingdom. You need to act appropriately to the situation or risk killing us all." Lancelot wasn't joking around like Sonic. He was being serious. He had seen these rulers when they had decided to decimate a kingdom. It hadn't been a pretty sight.

Sonic looked at Lancelot over the table they were discussing the matter. "Alright then just tell me the overall description of these kingdoms and their rulers." Sonic was bored and his attention span was a fraction of what Arthurs was so Lancelot hurried to explain each. He reached into a bag he had brought with him and pulled out three painted portraits. The first picture he showed Sonic was of a green crocodile. The crocodile wore a crown but had a rather goofy smile on his fanged mouth. Sonic's eyes widened and he practically shouted in Lancelot's ear, "That's Vector! What is he doing in a medieval painting?" 

Lancelot couldn't help but roll his eyes at how immature Sonic was behaving. "I do not know who this 'Vector' is but I can assume he is King Harold's counterpart from your world?" Sonic nodded and Lancelot continued, glad that he now had the king's attention. "King Harold rules the kingdom Chaotix. Chaotix has a single prince, Prince Charles. Prince Charles, however, is not Harold's son, do not assume that he is. His closest knight is Sir Rowan. He has another close friend however called Zane. Zane is a, as he likes to call it, ninja. The proper term, however, is a spy. King Harold will be the easiest to persuade if you play your cards right. Avoid insults though or assuming anything, it won't help in the slightest." As Sonic processed this information, Lancelot took out the next image to show his king.

"Wait a second is that Rouge?" Sonic asked slightly confused. The white bat wore a black and purple dress and a tiara on her head, smiling coyly at the painter. "Queen Victoria. I assume Rouge is her counterpart." Lancelot corrected as Sonic looked back up to him. "Queen Victoria is the ruler of Morningstar. Morningstar's current heir is Princess Maria. She was adopted by Queen Victoria and taken in. Treat her like she is the most precious and greatest being alive, or suffer dire consequences." Sonic was about to tease Lance until the look he was given suggested he was saying this for his good. "Anyway, Queen Victoria is obsessed with jewelry and gems. As a result, it is wise to keep Sir Gawain away from her as the two have had more than one disagreement about a jewel Sir Gawain protects." Sonic had a feeling on what jewel, or rather, emerald Gawain was protecting but something else Lancelot said caught his attention.

"Is Victoria overprotective of Maria or something? Is that why she's so precious?" Something changed in Lance's ruby red eyes as he looked at the next painting. "Queen Victoria is not the one you need to look out for concerning the princess." This comment confused Sonic. "Then who is-" His words were halted by the next painting Lancelot showed. 

If you compared the being in the picture with lance you could say they were brothers. If Lance was an alien. The person or creature in the picture was a black hedgehog with red stripes on his spines like Lancelot. They also had Ruby red eyes and inhibitor rings around their wrists and white chest fluff like Lance. That's where the similarities ended. A third eye with a slitted pupil and yellow sclera rested on his forehead. A silver necklace containing an all too familiar symbol rested on his chest. What looked like white cloth was wrapped around their arms from the elbow to their palm. His fingers were revealed and red with black claws on each fingertip. Two ruby red horns poked up from the top of his head just above his third eye. Silver shoulder plates, which supported a red cape, were the only form of armor along with what looked like Shadow's rocket boots. The thing that set the creature apart from Lance the most was the four sharp prongs on the figures back, raised as if he was preparing to stab the painter. He wore a frown on his face and had his arms crossed in the portrait.

"Who the heck is that!" Sonic shouted. Lancelot sighed and explained. "King Shadow of the Black arms." Sonic looked at the knight like he grew an extra head. "Are you saying the Black arms are here?" This comment piqued Lance's curiosity. "I take it you knew the Black arms from your dimension?" He asked the Azure hedgehog who was currently having a panic attack. "Knew them? I fought them! I thought Black doom was their leader? And what about Eclipse. Is he here too!" The hedgehog looked stressed at the mention of the species so Lancelot hurried to explain the kingdom. "The Black arms are lead by their king, King Shadow. Around a century ago he killed his father, King Doom and rose to the throne. Prince Eclipse handles most affairs in the kingdom concerning the citizens. King Shadow has been mainly peaceful, even admitting that his father had planned to take over the land and decimate the surrounding kingdoms. However, that does not mean he won't take advantage of our weakness. If he believes this kingdom to be weak it is likely he will allow the rest of his kingdom to decimate us. He is the only barrier between us and war with the Black arms, proving to him our strength is necessary."

Sonic looked like he was thinking for a minute before he looked at Lancelot again. "These guys can't be so bad right? I mean If they're anything like their counterparts in my world it shouldn't be that bad." The knight sighed and shook his head. Sonic was proving to be much harder to convince of the danger than the previous king. Instead of trying to convince Sonic with words however he stood up and placed the portraits back in their bag before grabbing Sonic's arm and dragging him to the door of the room. "Hey, Lance where are we going?" Sonic wrenched his hand from Lancelot's grip but jogged beside the knight down the hallways. 

"If you do not believe me now then perhaps you should see exactly what these people are capable of." Was the only thing the knight said. Sonic was confused but decided to follow regardless. As soon as they exited castle grounds Lancelot's shoes activated and he shot off into the distance, Sonic running beside him. They ran through a glade and into the thick woodland. Soon however the trees began to thin out. Dry grass crackled and snapped underfoot as the duo began to slow. soon enough they reached a cliff face. The sight below caused Sonic's eyes to widen and his spines and fur to stand on end. 

Below them was a burnt and charred landscape. Mangled and blackened trees were scattered across the land fulgurite reached out in the place of the shriveled flora. In the distance, the ruins of a castle could be seen and above them, thunder rumbled in the near-black storm clouds. Lightning bolts struck the earth and made more fulgurites, adding to the destroyed land. The smell of fire and death tainted the soft breeze and cinders fell from the sky as if the event that had plagued the land had only just happened, even though it was clear that whatever happened had occurred years ago.

"What happened here." Sonic's voice came out as a whisper, like a noise louder would call upon whatever had caused the land to become twisted as it had. Lancelot's voice, however, was much louder. 

"I told you I would show you what the three rulers are truly capable of." Lancelot's answer was far too vague for Sonic's liking and with one look Lance continued.

"It was Queen Victoria that started the battle. She arrived with her army and robbed the land of all it was worth, none could stop her." Sonic struggled to picture it. Rouge robbing people of their coin and jewels? Alright, the last one was easy to see but she wouldn't rob people of their money. 

"After she left King Harold came with his army. Each soldier had a torch. They set fire to the land, burning anything they could find. The people flocked to the castle, seeking shelter from the mayhem with their king. Once Harold and his men left the people sighed with relief, believing that the assault was over. Little did they know the worst was yet to come." Vector setting fire to a nation? Sonic couldn't even begin to picture it. Vector was just so nice back at his universe. Surely he wouldn't hurt so many people in this one.

Lancelot's eyes glazed over as his eyes began to unfocus, or rather focus on something else, something Sonic couldn't see. "Out of the flames, untouched by the fire, stepped a single person. He had no army with him, no backup, nothing, and yet it was that single being that truly destroyed the nation, King Shadow. It wasn't a war, a battle or even a struggle. It was a bloodbath." The knight's breath sped up as images flashed before his eyes. Screaming echoed in his ears. "He killed everyone. Mutilated each victim before passing onto the next. The knights were the first to fall, then the peasants. One by one they dropped like flies. No one could lay a single hand on him, his movements too quick and his strength surpassing even the flames. Only once he had torn the king's heart from his chest did he end the massacre. Everyone had fallen." Lancelot looked at Sonic once again and the young King was shocked at what he saw. For the first time, Sonic saw something he never thought he would see in Lancelot's eyes, fear. 

Lance returned his gaze to the wasteland and continued. "The rest of the Black arms arrived and feasted on the corpses of the fallen people, stripping the skeletons clean. The king himself consuming the other ruler before together, the entire race left the land, but not without leaving one more mark. The king cast a curse over the fallen kingdom. A curse of decay and death. Nothing can grow here, life perishes before it even has a chance to grow. The land is permanently scarred from the swift but devastating war. Nothing can ever heal what has happened here." Lancelot finally looked back at Sonic, his eyes clear again.

"It was the first time that King Shadow had given in to the bloodlust that is present in every Black arms, no matter if they are of royal blood or not. This is the reason why the meeting must be successful. If we are deemed useless like this kingdom was, then we may very well suffer the same fate." Sonic tried to search for any sign that Lancelot was joking, that he as just pulling his leg and that the meeting in the afternoon wouldn't decide the fate of Camelot in its entirety. He found nothing.

A loud screech interrupted the two and a dark shape descended from the storm clouds. Sonic instantly recognized it. "A Black Hawk!" Sonic prepared to attack but Lancelot quickly grabbed his arm to prevent him from acting. "That's not just any Black Hawk. It's Nightshade!" Sonic gave the knight a look of 'What the heck?' Lancelot held out an arm and the Black Hawk took the opening to land gratefully. It curled its tail around the knight's arm and chirped, nuzzling Lance's other hand as he began to pet the alien. A soft rumble came from Lance as he looked at the Black Hawk and it instantly perked up. Letting out a series of chirps and barks it awaited Lance's reaction. Sonic once again looked at the knight like he grew an extra head. "She said the meeting is in an hour." The knight turned to Sonic as the alien unwound her tail from Lance's arm and soared off in the direction of Camelot.

"Alright explain to me what that was all about?" Sonic demanded. Lancelot nodded his head and began to walk back to the lush woodland and away from the warzone, Sonic following next to him. "Nightshade is the royal messenger and advisor of the Black arms. She is of royal blood and has enhanced speed because of it." Sonic nodded. So the Black Arms here have a royal bloodline? Interesting. "What about the growling and chirping?" He asked.

"I am among the few people who can communicate with and understand the Black arms. You can't just learn how to speak to them. You either know how to at birth, or you don't." Lancelot began to shoot forward once more and Sonic ran with him. it took only a few more minutes until they reached Camelot castle. Percival, Gawain, Galahad, and Caliburn were waiting for them. 

"Hey, guys! Where's Merlina and Lamorak?" Sonic called out as the duo approached the group. The wizard had been given back her title by Sonic and was now a helpful ally. Galahad was the one to answer.

"They're waiting to greet Queen Victoria and King Harold. We just came here to get you and Lance." The ash-colored hedgehog explained. Percival nodded and added, "And they should be arriving in a few minutes so we need to get you ready immediately." Before he could react Sonic found himself getting practically dragged down corridors of the castle by Gawain, changed into a clean outfit by Percival (No there is nothing immature just a clean cape and quickly cleaning off his armor and crown) while Caliburn lectured him on how to behave. Sonic looked around to try and see the familiar black hedgehog but couldn't find him anywhere. Galahad noticed his search and answered his unasked question

"Lancelot's back in his room, hiding. He somehow managed to get on King Shadow's bad side and as a result, he needs to stay out of sight." Sonic thought over the young knight's words. It didn't make sense. Minutes ago he was communicating with a royal Black arms and there wasn't a hint of hostility. There had to be more to the story. For now, though he had to get through the meeting.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He made it to his room with seconds to spare. As the shadows lept off the walls and swarmed over his form he reached underneath his bed and pulled out four items. Two strips of white cloth, necklace, and a green jewel. Quickly donning the accessories he grabbed the jewel and closed his eyes. 

"Chaos Control."

And with those words, he disappeared in a flash of green light.

_They strung up a man, they say who murdered three_


	3. Here comes the king

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we'll finally get to personally meet the rulers of each kingdom. Warning, they're pretty much exactly what you expected. 
> 
> Special thanks to my friends Akystaracer22 and SansyG12 for proofreading.

"So when are we going to meet these rulers?" Sonic asked as Percival, Galahad, Merlina, Lamorak, and Caliburn. Gawain claimed he had an important duty to uphold while someone was present in the castle. Sonic had a distinct feeling he knew exactly what Gawain was doing. Percival looked at her king and sighed. "Usually King Harold and Queen Victoria arrive at around the same time. They prefer to greet people themselves. King Shadow often arrives when everyone is least expecting him. If you want to know when he is present you will keep your guard up. Chances are that when he arrives you won't even notice he's present until he wants you to notice." And the similarities just keep growing.

Galahad looked up at the sky as if trying to tell the time. He then held up three fingers. "Victoria's gonna be here in 3-2-1" As he lowered the last finger a loud shout was heard from the castle "Vic get out of my room!" minutes later Gawain walked out into the courtyard followed by a familiar white bat. 

Queen Victoria wore an outfit almost identical to Sonic's rouge. The differences being the tiara on her head and material being leather and silver. Gawain glared at the royal beside him as she shook her head. "So you're the new king of Camelot. I must say you don't look very different from dear Arthur. Tell me, what's your name?" She sounded just like rouge as well. Sonic took a deep breath before answering.

"The name's Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog. I kinda became king after freeing the kingdom from its previous ruler." He stuck out his uncovered hand for Victoria to shake, which she grasped with a smile. "Queen Victoria of Morningstar. Your accent is unusual for these lands from where do you hail from?"

Sonic ended the handshake first and rubbed the back of his neck with his newly freed hand. "haha, yeah funny story but-" He was cut off by Merlina who decided to pipe up. "I summoned him from another world to aid in defeating the dark king." When Victoria turned her gaze to Merlina her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, Merlina I didn't see you there. How have you been?" Merlina and Victoria seemed to be on good terms with each other, obviously having met on more than one occasion in the past. One by one the knights reintroduced themselves with Victoria, each greeted with positive responses. When Caliburn introduced himself the queen didn't seem very surprised by the talking sword. 

"So you're the sword who decides who rules Camelot? I must say you are not what I expected." Victoria said as she looked over the blade in front of her. 

"And what were you expecting Queen victoria?" Caliburn inquired as he too looked over the queen in front of him. 

"Not an individual so well mannered for a start, and please just call me Victoria. There is no need for such formalities here."

So Victoria seemed pretty friendly. Sonic could only guess how Harold was going to act.

"Hey Vic, Long time no see!"

Speak of the devil and he will come. A green crocodile, purple chameleon and a yellow bee (what other colors are there?) crest the hill, shortly followed by a young girl. King Harold wore the same thing as he did in his portrait. Zane wore simply black gauntlets and black leather shoes. A belt around his waist served to carry several blades and a few throwing stars. Prince Charles wore a yellow vest and regular leather shoes. The young girl had blond hair and wore a light blue dress with comfortable looking white shoes. The princess spotted her adopted mother and came running the rest of the way.

"Mom!" Maria called out as she hugged Victoria. Harold chuckled as he approached with the other two "We found her in the marketplace and decided to bring her with us. She's quite refreshing to talk with after a few hours of travel." Maria then turned her attention to Sonic. "Why do you look like Shadow?" Sonic blinked twice as he tried to process the question. Thankfully Galahad saved him from any awkward questioning that may follow his response. "Why don't you and I go and see if we can find Shadow huh?" Galahad rested a hand on Maria's shoulder as she looked over at him with a big smile. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go!" The pair ran off as they started to hunt for the elusive ruler and Victoria and Harold watched them leave. Sonic watched as the ash-colored hedgehog disappeared into the castle and didn't notice the green crocodiles approach until he was turned around.

"So your the new king of Camelot? I must say you don't look very different from Arthur." Harold remarked as he sized up the smaller king. Victoria laughed out loud from Harold's words and said: "I said the same thing!" Sonic chuckled and held out his uncovered arm for the crocodile to shake. "I'm Sonic. Sonic the hedgehog. I defeated the old king and freed Camelot from his tyranny. In the process, I sort of became their king." So far Harold was pretty much Vector but a bit more formal. Harold took his hand and shook it with vigor. "Harold of the kingdom Chaotix. I'm sure that a certain black knight of yours took care of half the introductions for us." He gave Sonic a knowing look as the hedgehog struggled to contain a snort. "As well as half the kingdoms," he responded. They let go of each other's hands before a yellow blur raced over and started energetically shaking Sonic's hand. "Hi there Sonic. My name is Charles. Nice to meet you!" The bee let go of his arm and flew off to talk to Caliburn and marvel at how a sword can talk. 

"I apologize for the prince's manners. He didn't breach your boundaries did he?" A calm and cool voice asked as Zane approached the azure hedgehog. "Nah I'm fine with it. I take it you're Zane?" The chameleon nodded and offered his hand. "It is an honor to meet you, King Sonic." Sonic took his hand and shook it "Great to meet you too and please, just call me Sonic."

"Very well then, Sonic." The two let go of each other's hands and Sonic realized the sun was setting. "Man time sure flies when you're having fun huh?" Everyone who was going to attend the meeting was present. Everyone except...

"Wait a minute, Where's King Shadow. Shouldn't he be here by now? It's almost night." Sonic asked no one in particular while looking around for the elusive king. It was then that a voice spoke from behind Sonic.

"Unless I already arrived and you never realized it." The voice said in his ear. A very familiar voice. Sonic whirled around to be face to face with three ruby red eyes and a very familiar black and red face. King Shadow looked almost identical to how he looked in his portrait. The only difference being the four prongs on his back were held in a less threatening manner and he was in a different pose. Sonic would be lying if he said that Shadow's sudden appearance nearly scared him half to death. Luckily for him, it was at that moment Galahad and Maria decided to return from their search. 

"Shadow!" The two shouted and unison and barreled into the foreign king, hugging him tightly. They didn't manage to tackle him into the ground since his prongs moved to stabilize himself. Instead of shoving the duo off him like Sonic thought he would do, He embraced them in a hug as well. "Well, well, well. You two seem excited to see someone." Shadow chuckled as the young knight and princess finally released their hold on him. A loud sound between a chirp and a bark called from the sky and a now-familiar figure descended from the shadows of the castle and soared overhead before diving and coming to a rest on Galahad's shoulder, wrapping her tail around his arm to stabilize herself. Nightshade chirped happily and nuzzled the white knight as he laughed and scratched under her chin.

"Hey there Nightshade! How's Eclipse, Nova, and Void doing?" He asked the alien on his shoulder as she leaned into his touch. A series of chirps, clicks, and purrs came from the Black Hawk as she responded. 'So Galahad could understand Black arms as well?' Sonic thought as he observed the interaction. The Black Hawk and knight were incredibly close it seems. "So you're the new king of Camelot?" Shadow had approached silently and Sonic nearly jumped in surprise. Maria was now running around with Charles, resulting in Shadow being able to approach him without interruptions. "Yeah, I'm S-" Sonic tried to introduce himself but Shadow beat him to it. "Sonic the hedgehog, Knight of the wind. I'm familiar with you and your accomplishments. I had Nightshade watch you since you arrived in this kingdom." Sonic felt a chill run down his spine. So Shadow knew everything he had done since he arrived? That was unnerving.

"I believe it is time for us to do what we came to do. Wouldn't you agree, Sonic?" He asked, a smirk evident on his muzzle. Shadow wanted to get into the meeting as soon as possible. Victoria heard Shadow's words and groaned and nudged Harold. "The king of Edge over there wants to start the meeting already." She whispered not very subtly to Harold. Shadow heard the remark and defended himself. "I have a kingdom to get back to and my brother is not capable of keeping everyone in check for more than a week. Finishing this meeting as soon as possible is a priority for me." Percival noticed that the meeting was probably about to occur so she walked over to where everyone else was and started to round them up. Charles and Maria were the last to get settled and head inside. As everyone headed to the dining hall where they would eat and hold the meeting Sonic took a glance at Shadow who was currently talking with Galahad and Nightshade. Sonic couldn't tell what they were saying due to the fact they were communicating in the Black arms language. The only one who was speaking normally was Galahad but he couldn't understand the conversation.

Shadow knew everything about his adventure in Camelot since he was spying on him. He was pretty much exactly like Shadow from Mobius but also has an entire kingdom he can use to wipe out other kingdoms. The destroyed land he had visited an hour ago popped into his mind and despite the warmth of the castle, he shivered. He couldn't treat this Shadow like his Shadow or Lancelot. He had to play his cards right or everyone will suffer because of it. As they entered the dining hall and everyone took their seats, Him at the head of the table and Shadow at the opposite end a single thought ran through Sonic's mind. 

'What have I gotten myself into?'

_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be_


	4. Negotiation pt 1: Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic now has to figure out just how to prove that Camelot is still strong and ready to survive. Shadow offers a solution, whether it's a good idea or not though, Sonic has to decide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in two parts, purely cause I want it to be so. Here we hear the criteria for just how useful a kingdom is for the other ones.

As everyone settled into their seats Sonic looked over everyone present. He was seated at the head of the table with Percival and Gawain seated to his left and right. Next to Percival was Charles then Lamorak, Harold, and Zane. Next to Gawain, there was Victoria, Galahad, Nightshade - Who was perched on top of her chair -, and Maria. Directly across from Sonic was Shadow who was currently both listening to Maria and watching him. Sonic sighed and decided to finally engage what they were here for.

"Alright, I guess it's time to address the elephant in the room." Sonic's voice rang out over the table and Shadow's head slightly dipped, a nod. The alien decided it would be a good moment to remind Sonic about the cost of failing in proving the strength of his kingdom. "Nightshade alerted me of your connection with the knight, Lancelot. I take it he revealed what we do to those who decide to act against us?" Victoria and Harold avoided meeting anyone's gaze as they were reminded of the lost kingdom. They may have had a hand in its destruction, that doesn't mean they were proud of it. 

"That will only happen if you fail to meet the bare minimum standards or Camelot becomes a threat," Victoria spoke up, giving a sharp glare in Shadow's direction. Shadow had only told them to take all the kingdom had that was of worth that day and make sure it would be a struggle to recover from their wrath. He never said anything about slaughtering every citizen of the kingdom. It was only after his curse was placed on the land did they see what Shadow had done. Despite how comfortable in Shadow's presence she was, knowing what he was capable of was unnerving and admittedly threatening. Their kingdoms may be impressive and strong in combat power but Shadow would only need a hundred Black arms to wipe them off the map. His species was bred for battle, and even Nightshade, a Black Hawk bred for speed and not strength, was capable of causing more than a few battle wounds.

"I suppose I should explain what my kingdom expects of yours then." Harold sighed and looked at Sonic once more. "My kingdom is allied for protection and attack power. This includes both powers in your kingdom's physical strength but also how powerful Camelot is in a magical sense." Sonic nodded, He was sure they were strong enough in both aspects. That meant that was one less problem to worry about. 

"My kingdom has a different need from Camelot," Victoria said. "We need resources, specifically coal, iron, wood, and the occasional crop to keep Morningstar safe, stable and inhabitable. This is due to our location in the mountains." This one would be trickier. They needed resources to rebuild after what the faux King Arthur and Merlina did. 

"My kind have a very special sort of payment. We can offer any resource you need in rebuilding your kingdom except for what we ask." Shadow's eyes glinted in the candlelight as he named his price "Food." Sonic raised an eyebrow (Do not argue about the logic!) "Umm alright what kind of food, is there a particular thing you're looking for or what?" Shadow smirked and chuckled "If there wasn't a specific type then I wouldn't ask for food. Camelot has an interesting population of mythical creatures, such as dragons and the occasional phoenix or griffin come to roost. These creatures have magical energy and are useful for a variety of magical spells. However, this is not the reason I want these species. Their carcasses can last my kingdom for months and even years." Sonic paled when he realized what Shadow was asking for. 

"You can't be serious." He asked, hoping that his price wasn't what he thought it was. Shadow smirked, sharp fangs showing. "Black arms are carnivorous. Due to my father's actions, our lands have run dry, prey has fled and is not likely to return for another decade at least. Though we may be able to last without food for a long while we are still mortal and thus need to consume food to sustain ourselves. We ask from Camelot that you will provide us food in the form of a section of its mythical wildlife. In return, we can supply with plenty of other resources to help rebuild your kingdom." Sonic was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to do. He knew that aiding the Black arms would ultimately benefit Camelot in the long run. On the other hand, his morals were less than ready to allow him to kill a creature simply for food. It just wasn't right. 

"Sonic, I am not asking you to cause a species to go extinct, I am asking for you to slay the occasional beast to provide food for my people. It isn't even the biggest topic I need to address with you. I have to talk about your strength as an individual." Shadow's voice snapped Sonic out of his thoughts. "Wait, what?" Shadow avoided eye contact as he said "There are rebels in my kingdom, Black arms who are yet to accept me as their ruler. Camelot is the closest to us and therefore the first to get harmed if the situation should arise."

Harold and Victoria gasped at the news. Shadow was admitting that he couldn't control his kingdom completely, that alone was shocking. The next bit of information, however, that a rebellion against him was starting in his kingdom was even more troubling. This was dangerous, the rebel Black arms could destroy Camelot in its current state, grow stronger and then move on to their kingdoms. Shadow cleared his throat to attract the attention of the other rulers

"Therefore I have a solution to your problem. I can gift you the resources to supply Morningstar, and you can also prove your strength to Harold and myself." Sonic had the distinct feeling he knew what Shadow was about to suggest. 

"I propose a duel, King Sonic of Camelot against myself. We will fight until Sonic proves himself to me." That statement caused an uproar. 

"Are you crazy!"

"He could get injured or worse!"

"Sonic cannot fight against you!"

"I'm in."

It may have sounded like a whisper past his lips but the noise cut off instantly as everyone stared at him, Shadow included. Sonic raised his voice and repeated what he said. "I'm in, I'll fight against you if it means Camelot gets the help it needs." Shadow looked on for a second before nodding his head.

"Very well, We will fight tomorrow at Midday, Be prepared." Shadow paused before adding, a smirk evident on his lips. "Though I doubt you could beat me in a duel regardless." This tease sparked something inside of Sonic and coupled with Shadow's appearance and name, he couldn't help the reply that automatically came from his mouth.

"As if Faker, I'll always beat you."

Almost everyone present besides Sonic and Shadow was looking between the two, almost waiting for the inevitable response of Shadow threatening Sonic. A good ten seconds passed before a low chuckle filled the silent room. That chuckle turned to full-blown laughter as Shadow started to laugh. It was then that Sonic realized that he wasn't talking to the Shadow from his world but rather an alien king who could probably kill him. Sonic sat mortified for a few more seconds before also registering that Shadow was laughing. 

Once Shadow finally got his laughter under control he also seemed to realize he wasn't alone in this room and was surrounded by ten other people, looking at him as if he had grown another head. He then attempted to cover up his obvious amusement and said: "We'll see on the battlefield." 

Shadow then stood up and began to walk out of the room. He stopped at the large oak door however and looked over his shoulder "If anyone is the Fake it is you, Besides you are not worthy to be my fake." He then strode out of the room and disappeared down the corridor. Nightshade watched him leave before cooing to Galahad and following. The knight waved goodby as the Black hawk disappeared around a corner. Sonic blinked and another wave of deja vu hit, he recalled his Shadow saying the same thing to him. 

"Well, I think that went well." He said to Percival, the cat facepalming.

Dinner was served and everyone resumed their small talk, Sonic engaging in an important conversation with Percival. 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lancelot was sharpening Arondight when he heard a knock at his door. Gently placing the blade down he walked over to the door and opened to reveal a certain blue hedgehog. Sonic smiled at seeing that Lancelot was alright. "Hey Lancelot, the meeting's finished so I thought I would come to check on you." Lancelot smiled back at his king.

"I'm alright thank you, How did it go?" He asked.

"Oh alright, Tomorrow I just have to duel King Shadow."

Lance sighed in exasperation. Sonic may have been declared a knight by Caliburn but he could still act like when they first met. "What did you do?"

Sonic raised his hands in surrender. "I did nothing I swear! I just gotta beat him in battle and then he'll help us."

Lancelot looked at Sonic closely before sighing again. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Sonic grinned. "Trust me, Lance, I've stopped a space colony controlled by a giant lizard from smashing into my home, I can survive one duel."

The other hedgehog just said ominously. "You better be right, for all our sakes."

Lance turned around. "I need to go to sleep, I'll be on patrol tomorrow to make sure no hidden threats come our way, oh and one more thing."

"Yeah?'

Lancelot glared at Sonic. "Don't call me Lance." before closing the door so Sonic couldn't retaliate.

Lance heard Sonic's groan before he retreated from the wooden door. He then turned back to his sword and sighed. "How do I protect you Sonic? If you keep landing yourself into these messes."

A glint of candlelight reflecting off metal caught his eye and he silently slid the offending piece further under his pillow, before continuing to sharpen the blade of his sword.

_If we met at midnight in the hanging tree_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not be discouraged by how powerful the Black arms are, there will be an opponent soon, just let me write!
> 
> Chaotix has less strength then you think. They mainly have forces from the Black arms, Camelot and Morningstar to help them out of difficult situations (half of which is from Charles). Morningstar is located in a mountainous region and thus is harder to grow crops and collect resources.


End file.
